Weasel Pilot

Photo 3219F appears to be a Hellfire. Obviously used for test/development. Wonder if USAF bailed it to a contractor? Dave Mason

The shot I have was probably 1 or 2 frames away from this one, in the same roll! More of a 3/4 view. Would still love to hear from anybody that was involved with this. Dave Mason

Checked out the Gallery, didn't find anything similar. Of course my Mom always said I couldn't see things right in front of me... Dave

I realize that we're getting far, far away from Herk-dom, but these "SAM" or "missile" sites are actually AAA sites. Probably 85mm KS-12 or -18 or 100mm KS-19. Left/lower one seems to still be occupied. PUAZO in center with cables going out to guns. Radar, either SON-9 (Fire Can) or RPK-1 (Flap Wheel) in revetment at 2:00, outside ring of guns. 1. While these have same general layout as S-75 (SA-2) they lack the daisy-chain roads for the reload trucks. They also lack the more extensive revetments at the center of the site for the SNR-75 radar and its associated (6 or 7) trailers 2. Google "SAM Site Overview" and download the SAMSITE OVERVIEW KMZ for Google Earth for more on this. 3. Returning to all things C-130, the Soviets hauled F-5s out of VN for exploitation, wonder if they took any of the -130s?

I just got a photo (which unfortunately I can't post due to copyright concerns) that shows a C-130 with two AGM-65 Mavericks on tail number 0-50024. Supossedly taken at Wright Patterson. Missiles appear to be loaded on a 3-rail LAU-88 launcher, but it isn't visible. This is attached to a pylon - deeper than an A-model fuel tank pylon - outboard of the #4 engine. Both missiles appear to be inert captive-carry items. The missile on the right launcher station appears to have a flat metal plate blanking off the nose instead of the seeker dome/window. It has a yellow (live motor) stripe around the forward part of the motor section but no yellow or brown stripes around the warhed section. The control fins are numbered and there are red stripes around the area the warhead would have occupied and down the wings. The other missile - on the launcher's bottom station - appears to have a dome cover but its opaque instead of clear. No stripes of any kind on it but has the US Air Force and data block markings. The 130 is in a grey paint scheme, like the weather birds, not the gunships. No markings on the 130, except the serial, "United States Air Force" on the forward fuselage and national emblems. Talk about your Fabulous Four-engined Fighter! Anybody know what this was all about?

Anyone who was there know: 1. If the 7.62 miniguns were carried or not? I assume "or not." 2. If the A-models had IRSS tubs? 3. If the AVQ-8 and LAU-74 were carried? I suspect "no" and "maybe" respectively. 4. How much 105mm ammo the forward and aft racks could carry, each? (Yes, I know racks are normally left-right, but work with me...) 5. Were the depression and lag adjusted for the 40s and 105mm for different altitude/bank/speeds? 6. One H-model redeployed the day before Spirit 03 was lost, was this for PDM? 7. Were the A-models deployed in response to this or was their deployment planned earlier? Thanks!